


It's the End of the World as we Know It

by Beth_Mac



Category: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-24 13:31:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12013791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beth_Mac/pseuds/Beth_Mac
Summary: Pepper Potts wasn't always named Virginia, but the past doesn't always stay in the past.





	It's the End of the World as we Know It

**Author's Note:**

> Just posting this really fast before I head to bed. Chapter 2 will be up in the next few days.

JARVIS would not have said that he was capable of surprise, but the sudden appearance of two men in the viewing room shocked him into inaction for several seconds. A regrettable lapse. He would have to speak to Sir about it. 

He found Miss Potts several floors down, in Dr. Banner's laboratory. Unfortunately, both Sir and Dr. Banner were with her. That factor increased the likelihood of a confrontation to seventy-two percent; hopefully, Miss Potts would be the first off the elevator and the first to greet the men, rather than Sir, which would decrease the likelihood of violence to forty-six percent. 

"Miss Potts, I'm afraid there are two intruders in the viewing room." 

The heart rates of all three adults spiked; Miss Potts appeared surprised, but not disturbed. She quickly gathered her writing instrument and joined Sir in the elevator, followed by Dr. Banner. 

As they ascended, JARVIS quietly alerted the rest of the Avengers. Neither man was armed, but both gave off energy levels he more associated with Prince Thor than with the humans in the Tower. Neither man seemed noticed the elevator's arrival, but the blonde man's heart rate ticked up. 

Miss Potts strode off the elevator, then stopped in her tracks. _"Zira?"_

The chance that the men were not strangers had been less than two percent, and yet Miss Potts evidently knew the taller man: she all but flew into his arms. 

"You've grown up," Aziraphale told her, raking an eye over her when they separated. 

"You haven't changed," Pepper responded. She grimaced, hearing her childhood accent slip through. For a second she was torn between 'imperious CEO' and the girl she had been, before giving into the eleven-year-old side and burying her face in the angel's shoulder again. 

"And I see you're both stating the obvious," another familiar voice drawled. Pepper grinned. 

"Crowley!" She'd seen him when she came in, of course, but he'd been examining the Loki-shaped hole in the floor that Tony had covered in Plexiglass. 

"Evening, squirt." Crowley smelled like ashes, brimstone, and ancient car leather when he hugged her. "Except you're not a squirt anymore, Pippin Galadriel Moonchild. You're almost as tall as I am." 

Pepper pulled away and kicked off her shoes. "Nope! Still shorter! Also, don't call me that, it's Virginia now." 

Aziraphale raised an eyebrow. _"Now_ who's stating the obvious?" He wrapped an arm around Crowley and whispered in his ear; Crowley blushed. 

Pepper smirked. "That only took you six thousand years." Both angel and demon swatted at her: she ducked, still smirking. 

"Twenty years later, and you're still a brat," Crowley huffed. 

"It's been twenty-four years, and I thought Adam was the brat." 

"No, it was definitely you. Angel, back me up here." 

"Pepper, do you know these men?" She turned around. Steve had his Captain America face on, and he was hefting his shield meaningfully. 

"They are not of Earth," Thor growled. 

"You're right, they aren't," Pepper agreed, leaning against a solid bulk that turned out to be Aziraphale when she looked up. The others only had time to blink in surprise before she barreled on. "And yes, Thor, I know exactly who and what they are—" 

"He's an angel, I'm a demon," Crowley interrupted. 

"—thank you, Crowley—but they're also friends of mine, and I'd rather you not hurt them, particularly not while under my roof." 

Thor lowered the hammer, still frowning. "You would speak for them?" 

Pepper hummed in affirmation. 

"Miss Potts, you have visitors in the lobby," JARVIS interrupted smoothly. Pepper's smile, which hadn't quite faded, widened back into a grin. "Let me guess: A blonde Adonis, his dog, an accountant, and a man who looks like he hasn't showered in three days." 

"...Er, yes." JARVIS sounded bemused. 

Pepper bounced on her toes, still shoeless. "Tell the receptionist I'll be right down!" 

She practically ran to the elevator, leaving her shoes and a roomful of confused adults—and a pair of not-so-confused divine beings—behind.

* * *

Adam gave the receptionist a thousand-watt smile. She was unfazed. "Sir, unless you and your frineds leave immediately, I will have security escort you out." The phone rang. "Stark Industries, how may I—" She paused. "Yes, he's right here." Another pause. "I understand." She slammed the phone down and glared at them. "You're in luck. Miss Potts just confirmed that she knows you. She's on her way down." 

A few minutes of unsuccessful flirting later, Dog barked and ran for the elevator bank. "Dog, get back here!" He ignored Adam and panted happily, staring at the elevator doors until they opened. 

"Dog! Oh, do you want a belly rub? Who's a good boy?" 

Pepper Potts, barefoot, on her knees, and rubbing a dog's stomach in the middle of the Avengers Tower lobby seemed to be an unusual sight, to say the least. Several tourists snapped pictures; a few employees did as well, but Pepper ignored them. "Adam! Brian! Wensleydale!" She scooped Dog up, leash and all, and ran towards them, prompting more fake camera-shutter noises. "Oh, it's _so_ good to see you!" Her feigned midwestern accent slipped fully into Southeast England as she hugged them and babbled question after question. 

"So you live in London, you're living in Edinburgh, and you're still in Lower Tadfield, is that right?" Pepper asked on their way up. 

Adam shrugged. "I never felt the need to leave." 

She nodded in understanding. "Brian, don't touch the windows. Tony hates it when they get smudged." 

Brian stepped away from the glass, looking guilty. It was already smudged in several places.

* * *

"So, quick question," Tony Stark asked. "Since when do you have a British accent?" 

"Since I was born," Pepper replied easily. She settled into a more comfortable position on the couch. 

"No way. I don't believe you. You were born in what, Minneapolis? Milwaukee? Missoula?" 

"Lower Tadfield. Hertfordshire, England. I came to the States with my mother at fifteen, changed my name at eighteen, shed my old accent, and never did look back." 

"Still don't believe you. Also, why is there a _dog_ in my Tower?" 

Dog stood up and whined, interrupting Hawkeye's belly rub, but stopped when Hawkeye started petting him. 

"Legolas, you're a traitor. Don't you open your mouth, I don't listen to traitors. Where did Gay and Gayer go?" 

"Crowley is talking to JARVIS, and Aziraphale is making tea." 

"What kind of name is Aziraphale? And what kind of heathen drinks tea?" 

"An angel," Brian and Wensleydale said in unison. Brian grinned at his friend. 

Stark made a buzzing sound. "He's not an angel. There's no way he's an angel." 

The four of them looked at him dubiously. 

Before Tony could protest further, Steve, Aziraphale, and Crowley walked back in. Aziraphale set a tray holding the tea kettle and twelve cups down on the coffee table. "All right, drink up, you'll need it," Crowley said, pouring his own cup. 

"Why?" Natasha asked, pouring a generous amount of milk and sugar into her cup. 

"Because the world is ending." 

Pepper groaned. "Not _again!"_

**Author's Note:**

> Fic title: "[It's the End of the World as we Know It](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsxavPANO8s)," by R.E.M.
> 
> Start holding your breath for a [When We Come Alive](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5267195/chapters/18349783) update, coming soon to a fanfic near you!
> 
> And, of course, I have to plug a pair of oneshots that really need more hits, [On the Road Again](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10766436) and [She's Somebody's Hero](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10914144).


End file.
